前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de: i- [% E% N0 I4 D. V7 {' S
6 q1 d9 {5 I1 h6 x( j9 I! T, a 乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。5 }! g1 v& J" W% k$ K
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另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。$ U- J& N7 q& _; A$ v1 ^
7 \6 p1 r; {2 V e& t人在德国 社区9 o9 S9 \" _: W* \* I/ Q1 C
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 ( b! y5 k, e e* a" ?9 _2 h1 u 4 V& O. S$ U& u' Z2 P6 ]. [rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits.8 d& \0 u2 J3 d" w& y
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 5 n5 s7 |# S3 A [% D: [人在德国 社区7 g5 ]( h( ^: `! U
That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de x7 y8 Q: q. k, [5 }+ A
7 J) e! A8 c5 ~* uDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.